Sub-Editor
How can you change the world? asked the teacher.
A student replied with a smile, “with love”.
In the hustle and bustle of the 21st century, the best thing one can gift is love. Modern generation lacks time, therefore giving time to the loved ones is a big gift. The human touch still retains its magical and healing quality.Now let us answer ourselves to some question.
What you do when you cry? What will be the first reaction when you meet your childhood friend after decades? What would you do when your dog looks at you innocently and stretches its tail? I guess all the question would have one simple answer – “Hugging”. Yes, we hug. We hug our pillow in tears, we hug out of joy, hug witnesses most of our emotions and moods.
21st of January is celebrated as the National Hugging Day in many countries. It was created by Kevin Zaborney. The day was first celebrated on January 21, 1986, in Clio, Michigan, USA. Literally, a hug is a form of physical intimacy, universal in human communities, in which two or more people put their arms around the neck, back, or waist of one another and hold each other closely. But some facts that we don’t know about hugging shall be discussed here.
- Hugging is a natural pain-killer.
Hugging releases oxytocin, which is the happy hormone that boosts the immune system, while decreasing the pain levels. That is why, after a tiring day, a hug, even to pillow, relaxes and calms you.
- Hug plays an important role in child development
Studies suggest that kids who aren’t hugged as often as others, take more time to learn skills such as walking and talking. People who are deprived of human touch are often more stressed than others, which ultimately affects both their physical and emotional health.
- Hug de-stresses
Studies have shown that hugging lowers levels of stress hormones like cortisol. A 20-second hug is enough to reduce the harmful physical effects of stress. It can have a great positive effect on our health as well. A hug can
– Lower risk of heart disease
– Fight fatigue
– Boost immune system
– Ease depression
– Normalise heart rate and blood pressure etc.
- Equation between hug and relationship
A hug a day can improve any relationship by reducing the feeling of insecurity and strengthening trust. A tight full body hug is all it takes to stimulate our nervous system while decreasing feelings of loneliness, increasing self-esteem, defusing tension, and showing appreciation. It can also be a very powerful way to say to your partner, ‘I get you,’ and is a way of saying, ‘I know how you feel.’ A hug is the best gift to show your partner that you really care.
- It strengthens the bond
Hug spreads positivity. It is an awesome means of non-verbal communication which strengths bond between person. It can increase your social connections and a sense of belonging.
When God has given us two arms, with the ability to stretch it, then why not we hug someone and make our arms work! Hugging has great power and the famous Chipko Movement is a great example to validate the statement in which women in large numbers created history by hugging the trees to prevent them from cutting down.
Hugs are the answer to everything. They can calm an angry soul and avoid a tussle. So in today’s world full of tension and debates, Munnabhai’s Jadoo Ki Jhappi is a need. It wouldn’t be wrong if we conclude by saying that HUG stands for – Healing, Understanding and Gratitude.
